The present invention is directed to a monopropellant gas generator system, but is also applicable to monopropellant rocket propulsion systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a novel method for the ignition of monopropellant and mixed monopropellant fuels. Specifically, the invention pertains to the employment of silver nitrate alone or mixed with copper chromite for the ignition and decomposition of monopropellants of the hydrazine and mixed hydrazine types.
Gas generators are widely used for a variety of purposes, such as the expulsion of liquid propellants, generation of electrical power, ejection of tube launched missiles, actuation of aerodynamic control surfaces, and like functions; monopropellant thrustors are used for attitude control. The power necessary to perform the purposes listed immediately above is usually obtained from the gases generated in the gas generator system by the decomposition of monopropellant and mixed monopropellant fuels.
The present agents employed for the ignition and decomposition of monopropellants appear to have limitations that complicate their usage. Some catalysts are employed for hydrazine, but their activity is generally insufficient to effect the necessary ignition of monomethylhydrazine or mixed hydrazine fuels and some catalysts are composed of rare ane expensive materials. Still other prior art catalysts may require a lengthy warmup involving internal heaters before the catalyst becomes operational for the ignition of the monopropellant. Some igniters, for example, the hypergolic igniter types, suffer limitations due to their hygroscopicity, corrosivity or toxicity. For example, iodine pentoxide is deliquescent and it creates serious storage and handling problems. In view of the present discussion, it is therefore immediately obvious to one versed in the gas generator art that these limitations and disadvantages associated with the prior art type igniters present serious problems for their successful employment in a wide variety of uses. It is further obvious to those skilled in the art that, if a novel igniter for a gas generator system is provided that essentially eliminates these prior art and other like problems, said igniter would represent a substantial contribution and unexpected advancement in the art.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an acceptable and novel igniter for gas generator systems.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an igniter for the decomposition of monopropellants and mixed monopropellants.
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide an igniter that can be used alone or mixed with catalytic agents for the decomposition of hydrazine propellants and mixed hydrazine propellants.
A further object of the invention is to provide a silver nitrate and a silver nitrate-copper chromite igniter for gas generation systems.
Another object of the invention is to overcome the limitations and disadvantages associated with the prior art igniters.
These objects, advantages and features will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specification, drawing and the appended claims.